Robert Warren Crane Jr., 75, of Avon passed away and went to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ on Wednesday, April 10, 2024, at I.U. Medical Hospital West, Indianapolis.
He was born Dec. 16, 1948, at Bloomington, to the late Robert “Warren” Crane and Clarace E. (Lee) Crane of Crawfordsville. He also was reunited with his beloved wife Marsha; son Joseph; and other loved ones.
Robert graduated from Crawfordsville High School in June 1967 in industrial arts. Later, he attended three full years, while working full time, at ITT Technical Institute in Indianapolis, graduating on Sept. 1, 1989, with a bachelor’s degree in Applied Science in Auto Manufacturing Technology. His commencement exercise was in the Butler’s Clowes Memorial Hall, Indianapolis.
While in elementary school (East Union), Robert was involved with Cub Scout Pack #325 with his dad as the Scout Master and his mom as one of the Den Mothers. He earned badges in all of four levels as the other boys did. He transferred to the Boy Scout Troop #362 when of age which was held at First EUB Church on East Main Street. His family had been involved in the church since he was 10 years old. He received merit badges in many areas, including the honored “God and Country” merit badge with one other scout (Paul Fulp), participating also. The merit badge was presented by the Pastor Bennett Fulp who oversaw the requirements and completion. Robert earned several other merit badges through “Life Scout” level with the troop.
While in Boy Scouts, he was selected to play in the Indiana Boy Scout Band with his coronet. He saved his money and traveled to the National Jamboree in 1964 at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. He met boys from U.S. and other countries, played in the Boy Scout Band, traded hand-made, wooden neckerchef slides or other souvenirs and participated in activities dealing with cooking skills, making things with wood, rope bridges, canoeing, hiking, sightseeing the whole Jamboree layout and building campfires at night.
Robert also participated in the dedication ceremony, playing in the Boy Scout Band (1966) of Ransburg Scout Reservation (624 acres) with then Central Indiana Council at Monroe Reservoir, near eastside of Bloomington, Indiana.
Robert was first married to Jane Spilley in the middle 1970’s when he owned a Texaco franchise in Bloomington on east State Road 46. They moved to Crawfordsville where their son, Joseph Daniel was born. They divorced later on and Robert obtained employment with Technologies of Carrier Corporation in 1989 in Indianapolis. He met a lady there and they married in 1990 at her mom’s home, Marsha Mason Newby, who had four children from her previous marriage.
Later, he changed jobs to a maintenance and electrical position with a recycling batteries company called, Quemetco, retiring in 2012 to care for his wife.
His passion was working on cars, being a part of NASCAR, attending car shows locally, working at the Indianapolis 500 track during May in parking cars and directing traffic (for about 20 years). He loved working with wood, making things with his son and nephew during their younger years, having a huge vegetable garden to share with people at church and decorating his house and yard for Christmas and expanding with more and more each year! He loved being with his family, and the great-grandchildren when they started being born! His step-children loved him as their “dad” and “papaw” for 40 years.
He was preceded in death by his parents; wife Marsha Mason Newby Crane of 29 years; son Joseph Daniel Crane; step-son Frank “Jr” Newby; sisters-in-law, Cathy Pavey and Arnie in Florida; and brothers-in-law, Bill Mason and Mike Mason.
He is survived by his children, Julie (Michael) Newby, David (Christie) Newby and Tonya (Ricky) Holtgrave; grandchildren, Aaron (Brooke) Holtgrave, Tyler (Hunter) Holtgrave, Allison (Joshua) Wright, Madison (Austin) Kyle, Frankie Newby, Steven (Ashley) Newby and Collin Newby; great-grandchildren, Harlow, Charlie, Lincoln, Lawson, Lainey, Maverick, Maylee, Addison, Austin, Josh, Eli, Aleena and Raylee; siblings, Charlene Meadows and Jim (Billie) Crane of Florida; nephew Matt (Dawn) Meadows; many cousins, nieces and nephews and fur baby Tucker; sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Mary and Frank England; brother-in-law Dave and Sherrie Mason; and sisters-in-law, Kay Mason and Debbie Mason.
His funeral was April 22, 2024, at Flanner Buchanan-Floral Park, 425 N. Holt Road, Indianapolis, with burial in Floral Park Cemetery afterward.
Instead of flowers to family, please donate as memorial to his church, where he spent many hours in wiring the electrical when the church was being built and arranging the sound booth. Address donations to: Pastor Jan Vanover, Word of Life Church, 525 Foltz St., Indianapolis, IN 46241.
